Obituaries

Ret. Sheriff Charles James “Chuck” White, age 56, of Mt. Vernon, was reunited with his beloved mother in the early morning hours of Thursday, February 13, 2014 at Baylor Hospital in Dallas with his loving family at his side.

Charles was born on May 4, 1957 in Dallas to Dr. Robert Frank and Patricia B. Gossett White. After high school, Chuck attended mortuary school and briefly worked as a mortician before falling in love with law enforcement.

Chuck began his law enforcement career in December 1986 after graduating from the East Texas Police Academy at Kilgore College.

Sheriff White’s first watch was with the Clarksville Police Department as a patrol officer for 10 months. After leaving Clarksville, Chuck went to work in his home county at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy for little over three years. Sheriff White went to work with the Mount Vernon Police Department as a Lieutenant working mostly investigations. Sheriff White then served with the Mount Vernon Police Department for eight months until he was appointed Franklin County Sheriff by the Commissioners Court.

In September of 1991 Chuck White was appointed Sheriff of Franklin County to fulfill an unexpired term where he would eventually serve the citizens of Franklin County as Sheriff for over 17 years. Sheriff White served four consecutive terms, making him one of the longest running Sheriff’s in Franklin County history. Sheriff White retired his position in December 2008.

Chuck is survived by his wife Marla; children, Chris White and wife Kandice, Wendy White Smith and husband Rick, Bryan White and wife Natalie, Desirae Long and husband Kasey, and Kellan Carrell; grandchildren, Zack, Trevor, Hadley, Tinley, Mason, Ryland, and Cortland; father Dr. Robert White brothers, Mark White and Bob White, Jr. and wife Janet; sister, Lynn Turner and husband, Rusty; and by a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives and very special friends.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Pat White, in December 2011.

Services for Sheriff Chuck White will be held at 2:00 P.M., Sunday, February 16, 2014 at the First Baptist Church of Mount Vernon with Brother Pepper Puryear officiating. Burial will follow at Mount Vernon City Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 6:00 – 8:00 P.M., Saturday evening at Sam B. Harvey Funeral Home.